Method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for integrating and sharing patient-related information via an authenticated application programming interface

Abstract

An apparatus, computer-readable medium, and computer-implemented method for integrating and sharing patient-related information among members of a medical team in real-time via an authenticated Application Programming Interface (API), includes receiving preliminary patient data corresponding to the patient from a first member of a medical team comprising a plurality of members, the preliminary patient data being received via the authenticated API, generating a patient profile for the patient, the patient profile being accessible to each member of the medical team via the authenticated API, receiving input relating to the patient from a second member of the medical team, the input being received via the authenticated API, and updating the patient profile based at least in part on the received input, with each of the plurality of members of the medical team being able to access the updated patient profile via the authenticated API.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method executed by one or more computing devices for integrating and sharing patient-related information among members of a medical team in real-time via an authenticated Application Programming Interface (API), the method comprising:
 receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, preliminary patient data corresponding to the patient from a first member of a medical team comprising a plurality of members, wherein the preliminary patient data is received via the authenticated API from a first device; 
 generating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a patient profile for the patient, wherein the patient profile is accessible to each member of the medical team via the authenticated API and wherein the authenticated API is configured to detect any changes to the patient profile; 
 receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, input relating to the patient from a second member of the medical team, wherein the input is received via the authenticated API from a second device; and 
 updating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the patient profile based at least in part on the received input, wherein the updated patient profile is accessible to each of the plurality of members of the medical team via the authenticated API and wherein the authenticated API is configured to:
 receive a request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile which are linked to the patient profile; 
 retrieve the data from the one or more files external to the patient profile; and 
 output at least a portion of the retrieved data. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authenticated API is a password-protected application running on a mobile device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preliminary patient data includes patient medical history. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preliminary patient data includes at least one physician associated with the patient. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one physician associated with the patient comprises at least one of a referring physician and a primary care physician. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more files external to the patient profile include one or more physician profiles, wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to view contact information for a physician associated with the patient and wherein the retrieved data comprises the contact information for the physician associated with the patient. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 annotating, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, the updated patient profile with an indicator designating the second member of the medical team along with the changes in the patient profile resulting from the received input. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more files external to the patient profile include a plurality of diagnostic test results and wherein the retrieved data comprises one or more diagnostic test results corresponding to the patient. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input relating to the patient comprises a recommendation regarding a surgical option. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input relating to the patient comprises information regarding a procedure performed on the patient or a diagnosis of the patient. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input relating to the patient comprises answers to a patient evaluation form. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the patient evaluation form is integrated into the authenticated API. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the patient evaluation form comprises at least one of a frailty test, a Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, a Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk evaluation, and a European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to generate a letter pertaining to the patient, wherein the retrieved data comprises a letter template corresponding to the requested letter including one or more blank data fields, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the retrieved data comprises outputting the letter template with the one or more blank data fields filled with information retrieved from the patient profile. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the letter comprises at least one of a referring physician letter, a consultation letter, and a procedure letter. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to generate a bill, wherein the retrieved data comprises one or more first billing codes corresponding to one or more procedures associated with the patient profile and one or more second billing codes corresponding to one or more diagnoses associated with the patient profile, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the retrieved data comprises outputting a billing report including the one or more first billing codes and the one or more second billing codes. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preliminary patient data and the input relating to the patient comprise information indicating the suitability of the patient for a surgical procedure, wherein at least one member of the medical team specializes in the surgical procedure, and wherein the authenticated API tracks one or more requirements that must be fulfilled prior to performing the surgical procedure. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for integrating and sharing patient-related information among members of a medical team in real-time via an authenticated Application Programming Interface (API), the apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to:
 receive preliminary patient data corresponding to the patient from a first member of a medical team comprising a plurality of members, wherein the preliminary patient data is received via the authenticated API from a first device; 
 generate a patient profile for the patient, wherein the patient profile is accessible to each member of the medical team via the authenticated API and wherein the authenticated API is configured to detect any changes to the patient profile; 
 receive input relating to the patient from a second member of the medical team, wherein the input is received via the authenticated API from a second device; and 
 update the patient profile based at least in part on the received input, wherein the updated patient profile is accessible to each of the plurality of members of the medical team via the authenticated API and wherein the authenticated API is configured to:
 receive a request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile which are linked to the patient profile; 
 retrieve the data from the one or more files external to the patient profile; and 
 output at least a portion of the retrieved data. 
 
 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more files external to the patient profile include one or more physician profiles, wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to view contact information for a physician associated with the patient and wherein the retrieved data comprises the contact information for the physician associated with the patient. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more files external to the patient profile include a plurality of diagnostic test results and wherein the retrieved data comprises one or more diagnostic test results corresponding to the patient. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to generate a letter pertaining to the patient, wherein the retrieved data comprises a letter template corresponding to the requested letter including one or more blank data fields, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the retrieved data comprises outputting the letter template with the one or more blank data fields filled with information retrieved from the patient profile. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to generate a bill, wherein the retrieved data comprises one or more first billing codes corresponding to one or more procedures associated with the patient profile and one or more second billing codes corresponding to one or more diagnoses associated with the patient profile, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the retrieved data comprises outputting a billing report including the one or more first billing codes and the one or more second billing codes. 
     
     
       23. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:
 receive preliminary patient data corresponding to the patient from a first member of a medical team comprising a plurality of members, wherein the preliminary patient data is received via the authenticated API from a first device; 
 generate a patient profile for the patient, wherein the patient profile is accessible to each member of the medical team via the authenticated API and wherein the authenticated API is configured to detect any changes to the patient profile; 
 receive input relating to the patient from a second member of the medical team, wherein the input is received via the authenticated API from a second device; and 
 update the patient profile based at least in part on the received input, wherein the updated patient profile is accessible to each of the plurality of members of the medical team via the authenticated API and wherein the authenticated API is configured to:
 receive a request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile which are linked to the patient profile; 
 retrieve the data from the one or more files external to the patient profile; and 
 output at least a portion of the retrieved data. 
 
 
     
     
       24. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more files external to the patient profile include one or more physician profiles, wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to view contact information for a physician associated with the patient and wherein the retrieved data comprises the contact information for the physician associated with the patient. 
     
     
       25. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more files external to the patient profile include a plurality of diagnostic test results and wherein the retrieved data comprises one or more diagnostic test results corresponding to the patient. 
     
     
       26. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to generate a letter pertaining to the patient, wherein the retrieved data comprises a letter template corresponding to the requested letter including one or more blank data fields, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the retrieved data comprises outputting the letter template with the one or more blank data fields filled with information retrieved from the patient profile. 
     
     
       27. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the request to access data from one or more files external to the patient profile comprises a request to generate a bill, wherein the retrieved data comprises one or more first billing codes corresponding to one or more procedures associated with the patient profile and one or more second billing codes corresponding to one or more diagnoses associated with the patient profile, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the retrieved data comprises outputting a billing report including the one or more first billing codes and the one or more second billing codes.